Lancashire Quakers ask for peace

Joe with newly-ordained Saju Muthalaly

Do you remember we recently brought you the editor of a newspaper that only printed good news? We wondered if there was enough of that to fill a newspaper. Well, we darn near filled a complete radio programme with good news this week!

I'll tell you more of that later, but firstly getting your packing cases out, you may be of some help to the Bishop of Burnley! He has decided to downsize and give up his current residency on the outskirts of the town.

The Right Reverend John Goddard says a number of factors have brought him to this opinion. Their current house near Padiham isn't suitable for the modern day demands of a Bishop, it's also too large for his family needs and he believes he can work more effectively down the road at All Saints with St. John the Baptist Church. The Bishop told us that his new arrangements mean that he may be more accessible to those who need his help.

We've had the odd intense downpour this weekend, causing some localised flooding, but largely much of the county has been bathed in sunshine which is good news for the veterans who were in Stanley Park, Blackpool to commemorate Armed Services Day.

Burial ground

However, Lancashire's Quakers also want an "Unarmed Forces Day." They say solving differences peacefully is far more cost effective and morally correct than going to war and the Prime Minister should also be celebrating those people and organisations who work to avoid conflict.

Hilary Whitehead called in to see us from the Friends Meeting House at Crawshawbooth where the last Sunday in June is always a special day. It's then that Quakers from throughout Lancashire climb to a burial ground at Chapel Hill above Rawtenstall to remember those founder Quakers who were persecuted in Lancaster and buried at the site. Often they were carried from the north Lancashire city across the moors to their final resting place.

We were at The Islamic Cultural Centre in Cumberland Street to get a guided tour from Salim Mulla, who is rightly very proud of his mosque. In fact, there was so much to see, we have made the visit into two parts with the second airing next Sunday.

Good news from Zimbabwe, where Anne Marie Coppack, who lives in Burnley and also works for the Roman Catholic aid agency Cafod, has just returned. She reported to us that the £170,000 donated by Lancashire people in 2007 for an emergency appeal is proving to be very wisely invested. There are signs that village life is improving. The money was spent providing thousands of families with emergency food packages, seeds for vegetables plots and health care.

The Islamic Cultural Centre in Blackburn

Good news from throughout Lancashire, where 16 people were ordained deacon or priest this weekend in the Blackburn Diocese. The Bishop of Blackburn, the Right Reverend Nicholas Reade told us he is delighted, likening the ordinations to "a second Christmas for the Diocese."

On the BBC Radio Lancashire Sunday morning faith programme we spoke to Sharon Baines who is to be a deacon at Penwortham St. Leonard's and Christopher Holden who is off to Christ Church in Carnforth. Chris told us that he had wanted to be ordained since he was 11 years old.

The Willows

We met some new priests as well, Polly Mason who has going to St George's Church in Chorley and Saju Muthalaly, from Bangalore and has just been ordained as the new priest at St Thomas Church in the very centre of Lancaster.

Can we take more good news? I think we can!

We heard from The Willow Church in Kirkham which is celebrating its bi-centenary this year. he original chapel was established in 1809. This was replaced in 1845 by the present church, which is Grade II Listed by English Heritage. It was designed in the early English style by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, the famous architect renowned for his works on many Catholic churches and the Houses of Parliament.

The Willows isn't a name that you would usually associate with a Roman Catholic Church and their Parish Priest, Father Paul Johnstone, told us the real name of the parish is St. John The Evangelist but everyone locally knows it as The Willows because the trees nearby. Next weekend is a red letter one for The Willows with some big celebratory events around the parish.

Finally, yes even more good news! A Lancaster scientist and Anglican priest, Canon Professor John Rodwell has been awarded the 2009 President's Medal by the Institute for Ecology and Environmental Management. The Medal, first awarded in 2006 to David Attenborough, recognises services to ecology and conservation. Professor Rodwell, who has worked as a scientist and Anglican priest for over 30 years, received his award from Dr Helen Phillips, Chief Executive of Natural England, the government's advisor on the natural environment, at a reception in London.

Professor Rodwell told us he was delighted with the recognition for his work, but also used the opportunity to remind us all that there is still a lot more we can do to help the environment.

Joe Wilson